Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-11-21
Trade with Southern South America

Yesterday we gave paragraph of let
ter to the Boston Traveller, from Buenos
Ayres, which stated that line of steamers,
subsidized by the Argentine Government,
important South American commercial city
To New York. 1t is to be hoped that this
reported undertaking will he fully carried
out. There has long been an imperative
need for such u line of steamers and the
leading business men of Buenos Avres
have fully understood this, but the Ar
rious financial difficulties, has not been
able to make the necessary appropriations
But of late that Republic has been on the
rising tide of prosperity has been receiving
large acquisitions of immigrants, capital,
and skill, and is pushing to increase her
trade with foreign countries, especially
with the United States That she should
he ahead of this country in establishing Il
line of steamers between her own com
mercial capital and ours, is not n very
pleasing commentary OH the wisdom and
enterprise of our Government The Ar
gentines number less than four millions of
people, aud their rulers are almost entirely
OF Spanish blood. which is thought to
have less of business vigor than the Anglo
Saxon,
The Importance of the Atlantic South
American trade is poorly understood by a
large portion of our people. That of the
Rio de La Plata countries centralizes al
most entirely in Buenos Ayres and Monte
vidco. That immense river and its tribu-
taries drain richly productive territory
suiiicicntly extensive to make
twenty-five states as large as
New York. The trade of southern Brazil,
OF Paraguay, Uruguay aud the Argentine
Republic, with a population of almost
six millions flows almost entirely into
the docks and warehouses of Buenos
and Monteyideo, for trans-shipmcnt to
foreign ports. In that magnificent river.
under the stimulus of rs genial climate
as the world affords. is growing up new
people, cross of nationalities. which is
to play an Important part in South Ameri-
can civilization. Those countries already
have an annual trade of $500, OO0. 200 and
the Argentine budget amounts to more
than io,oo0,000 per year. The desire of
the citizens of those countries and of
Brazil for commercial exchange and friend
ly association with the people of the
United States is very strong. Their steam
and telegraph communication with Europe
Is In splendid condition of organization
and of working efficiency, AS complete as
between the Atlantic, Western and Pacific
States of this country. As the result
Europe now gets the bulk of the trade.
The European countries obtained this adj
vantage in commerce by liberal subsidies
In cash to steam lines. What this country
and the Rio de La Plata countries now de-
mand Is line of steamers starting at New
York, touching at st. Thomas, stopping at
Para, Pernambuco, Bahia. Rio Janeiro
Montevideo,t to Buenos Ayres supplemented
by lines from Baltimore and New Orleans
and other Atlantic cities. This can be done
only by liberal subsidies from the
United States government, added to what
the Rio de La Plata countries and Brazil
are ready to appropriate.
But some will ask just at this point
mnst NOT tho IYo;tad Statas arra,~, /.
system of reciprocity and free trade will
these South American countriess Possibl,
with Brazil it might answer. But tn,
vast wool product of the Argentin,
Republic and Uruguay could not be admitte,
free into this country. without great,
injuring our wool producers. The Rio
de La Plata wool growers hold immens
tracts Of very rich land at small cost, tel
Or twenty thousand sheep being owned b,